The GST negotiations were in 1999 and Mr Howard needed the support of the Australian Democrats to pass the legislation through the Senate.

The Democrats leader, Meg Lees, was horse trading. One demand was for the government to establish a greenhouse gas abatement program.

The former treasurer Mr Costello tells Hartcher: ''This was 1999. Neither Howard nor I had much of an idea of what a greenhouse gas was, let alone how to abate it … Trying to co-operate without blowing the financial position, I whispered to Howard, 'Offer her four hundred.'

'''Okay,' he said. '$400 million.'

''She accepted. I tapped him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, 'That's not what I meant. I meant we should offer her $400,000'.''

Gave a decent spray to Bob Brown - "Yeah look Bob, it was our cabinet that saved the Gordon below Franklin, not you. And I convinced the French to take Antarctica off the table for 50 years. Imagine an oil spill in Antarctica?

So yeah Bob, back in your box. The Franklin River is nice, but it isn't Antarctica is it?"

Low unemployment, low inflation, low rates, low debt, am efficient IR system which resolves disputes quickly, an economy the envy of the world, Joe Hockey admitting tonight the Coalition knew in advamce Qantas was going out and said nothing thereby stranding tens of thousands of people, the Coaltion advocating government intervention on interest rates and IR.

also i'm amazed any liberal person is willing to talk about the qantas. i mean really just shut yr mouth nothing good will come of it. labor is just dying to slur you through workchoices why give them a chance.